Semiautomatic grenade launcher



Oct. 8, 1968 s. D. slLsBY 3,404,478

SEMIAUTOMATIC GRENADE LAUNCHER Filed May 23 1961 .3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct, 8, 1968 s. D. siLsBY 3,404,478

SEMIAUTOMAT I C GRENADE LAUNCHER Filed May 25, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

j. 0. Mm y Q. JQML United States Patent() The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of` any royalty thereon.

Thisy inventionV relates to attachments for rifles and n more particularly to rifle. supported launchers for gre-` nades.

It is one object of this invention to provide for an attachment to a rifle barrel a grenade launcher which is light in weight, has a minimum of bulk, and is simple in construction and positive in operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a grenade launcher which is `serniautomatic in operation.

It is still another object of this invention to provide such a launcher with a self-contained tiring mechanism. It isa `further object of this invention to provide-such aA launcher which utilizes as a barrel a case whichincloses the grenade projectile, the propellant charge for discharge thereof, .and the primer for initiating the propellant charge withthe inside of the case being riiled for cooperation with a pre-engraved rotating band on the grenade projectile to impart a rotational component of movement thereto when discharge from the case.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide in such case a piston which, when struck by a firing pin, initiates the primer and which in turn is energized by the primer for actuating the tiring mechanism so as to be ready for discharging the next case when loaded in the launcher. A f j y It is another and still further object of this invention to provide for such a launcher means for ejecting the spent case, which means are energized by the primeractuated, firing mechanism.

It is still another `and further object of this invention to provide for such a launcher a safety device which blocks actuation of the trigger-'scar mechanism and which includes means for manually cooking the tiring pin.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide blocking means operationally disposed between the ejector and firing pin to prevent inadvertent ,contact be` tween 'the` primer of the grenade and ,the iiringpin if vthe tiring prinshould be in the fire position ,when the grenade.

loadedin the launcher. 4 v j rlhe `specific nature .of the invention as well as` other. objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

i FIG. 1 is a side view of the `grenade mounted on the barrel of arifle with the loaded case Iand launcher partially broken' away to show the relationship of the parts thereof when the case isy loaded in the launcher and the ringpinis in thecock position; l j v a I FIG. 2 is aview taken along linejzfellof FIGA; fKFIG. Syrisja view similar .to FIG. 2 but showingthe tiring pin inthe rjeposition striking the primerforinitia tion thereof;v y y 1 4 FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing thering pin actuated to the overtravel position by the initiated primer and the secondary sear positioned for stopping forward travel of the firing pin at the cock position thereof;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view taken along line 5 5 of FIG. 4 and showing the tiring pin in the fire position;

FIG. 8 is a fragment-ary view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 but showing the firing pin retracted by the safety;

FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view of the launcher; and

FIG. 10 is a view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. l.

Shown in the figures is a rie 12 with a barrel 14 to which there is mounted a launcher 16 for projecting a grenade 18. Launcher 16 is replaceably mounted underneath barrel 14 with the rear end connected to a gas cylinder 20 by T-slot means 21 and the front end locked to a bayonet lug 22 by a latch 24.

Grenade 18 is inclosed within a cylindrical case 26 which is ried inside at 27 for cooperation with a pre engraved rotating band 28 on the grenade to impart rotation thereto when projected from the case. The real end of case 26 is closed by a base 32 which is joined thereto to form an annular groove 34. Centrally disposed in base 32 is a primer 36 for discharge of a propellant 37 to project grenade 18 from case 26. Primer 36 is received by a stepped cylindrical bore 38, and slidingly disposed therein rearwardly of the primer is a piston 40 which, when actuated forwardly against the primer, causes initiation thereof and which is energized for rearward displacement by the discharge forces.

Launcher 16 is cylindrical in configuration and iucludes a breechblock 44, which is terminated at the front end by a diametrical wall 43, and a receiver 42 which extends integrally forward therefrom. Receiver 42 is provided with a cylindrical chamber 45 longitudinally disposed therein. Chamber 45 has a diameter similar to the outside diameter of case 26 and is interrupted, as noted at 46, along the underside from the front end to a point forwardly of wall 43 to form an uninterrupted portion 47, whereby case 26 is loaded vertically into receiver 42 and then pulled rearwardly to move base 32 into uninterrupted portion 47 for contact with wall 43. Case 26 is releasably held in launcher 16 by a longitudinally disposed catch 48 which is pivotally mounted in a vertically disposed recess 49 extending downwardly into breechblock 44 from the periphery thereof where coincident with the central vertical plane of the breechblock. Catch 48 is pivotally mounted on a pin 50 which extends laterally through the rear end thereof so that a hook 52 extending downwardly from the front end of the catch engages groove 34 of case 26 when pushed rearwardly into launcher 16 to a loaded position where base 32 contacts wall 43.

Breechblock 44 slidingly supports a cylindrical firing pin 54 which is installed in a bore 56 for longitudinal reciprocation in axial alignment with piston 40 between breechblock 44 by vertical ways 6s.

Catch 48 includes an integral toe 66 which depends from the rear end thereof for engagement by a longitudinally disposed spring 68 in breechblock 44 to bias the catch for downward displacement of hook portion 52 into position for engaging groove 34 of case 26 when loaded in launcher 16. An arm 70 depends from catch 48 between toe 66 and hook 52 so that the end of the arm `is slidingly received by a longitudinally disposed channel 72 in body 58 of firing pin 54. Channel 72 is provided at the front end with a ramp 74 which extends upwardly and forwardly from the bottom thereof to the surface of body 58. Ramp 74 is disposed for sliding cooperation with a cam surface 76 on the end of arm 70 so as to convert translational displacement of ring pin S4 to pivotal displacement of catch 48 for upward displacement of hook 52 from groove 34 during rearward travel of the firing pin t the overtravel position.

An ejector 78 is slidingly disposed in a hole 80 which extends forwardly from the rear end of breechblock 44 to an annular shoulder 82 from which an orifice 84 extends concentrically forward to the front end of the breechblock. Ejector 78 includes a body portion 86 with an annular groove 87 therearound and a rod 88 of the same diameter as orice 84. Rod 88 extends forwardly from body portion 86 for contact with base 32 of case 26 when installed in launcher 16 and the rod is long enough so that, when the front end of body portion 86 is in contact with annular shoulder 82, the front end of rod 88 is positioned forwardly of the front end of striker portion 60 when firing pin 54 is in the striking position thereof. .l

A cylindrical retainer 85 with a large diameter portion 89 and a small diameter portion 91 extending rearwardly therefrom is slidingly mounted in hole 80 rearwardly of ejector 78. Large diameter portion 89 has a diameter similar to that of hole 80 and small diameter 91 is extendable through a mating aperture 93 in back plate 64. A spring 90 is disposed in hole 80 between body portion 86 and retainer 85 for simultaneously biasing ejector 79 forwardly, so as to eject a spent case 26 from launcher 16 when catch 48 is actuated for release thereof, and biasing retainer 85 rearwardly to releasably lock back plate 64 in assembled position. A shaft 95' extends forwardly from retainer 85 to block forward displacement thereof for release of back plate 64` when ejector 78 is rearwardly displaced by a case 26 loaded in receiver 42.

Provided in breechblock 44 Ibetween hole 80 and bone S6 is a vertically disposed cylindrical aperture 92 which `slidingly receives a cylindrical block 94 of similar diameter. The mouth of aperture 92 at bore 56 is reduced slightly in diameter, as noted at 96, to limit the upward displacement of block 94. Block 94 is longer than aperture 92 and is provided with a rounded top end 98 which is extendable partially through mouth 96 into the path of Ibody 58 of ring pin 54 lwhen displaced to the strikling position. Block 94 is also provided with a rounded bottom end 100 which is receivable by annular groove 87 to block rearward displacement of ejector 78 when in the forward position thereof. Bottom end 100 is pressed Ainto annular groove 87 by the contact of top end 98 with a cam surface 102 extending rearwardly and downwardly from the-front end of body 58 to the periphery thereof. Thus, when both firing pin 54 and ejector 78 are in the forward positions thereof, the ejector is blocked against rearward displacement. Therefore, as the front end of ejector 78 extends forwardly Vof the front end of ring pin 54, primer 36 is prevented from inadvertently striking the ring pin if an attempt is made to install case 26 in launcher 16 before the firing pin is cocked. The front end of body portion 86 is chamfered, as noted at 104, to cam block 94 out of the way of ejector 78 during forward displacement thereof.

Firing pin 54 is automatically retained in the cock position between the striking and overtravel positions and is manually released from the cock position for striking piston 40 by a trigger-Sear device 106. Trigger-Sear device 106 is of flat conguration and is vertically disposed in breechblock 44 for lateral displacement between a normal and a re position. Trigger-Sear device 106 includes a vprimary Sear 108 which is of rectangular configuration, a thumb piece 110 which extends integrally from the left side thereof to project from Ibreechblock 44lfoi' manual action, and a secondary sear 112 disposed in the thumb piece and the adjacent structure of the primary sear for lateral displacement.

Primary sear 108 includesja longitudinal hole 114 therethrough for receiving tiring pin 54. Hole 114 is of oval `configuration with the length of the vehicle axis being similar to the diameter of body 58 of ring pin 54 and is elongated laterally to permit limited lateral displacement of trigger-Sear device 106 between the normal and iirepositions. Extending into hole 114 from the right end thereof is a segmental lip 116 which, when triggersear device 106 is in the normal position thereof, is positioned to be contacted by the front end of body 58 to releasably hold ring pin S4 in the cock position. When trigger-Sear device.106 is in the fire position thereof, lip 116 is displaced clear of body 58 to free ring pin 54 for forward displacement so' as to strike piston 40. Trigger-Sear device 106 is biased to the normal position by a pair of spring-biased plungers 118 which are respectively mounted in primary sear 108 above and below hole 114 and are disposed to bear against a safety 120 which is mounted on ybreechblock 44- diametricallyopposite thumb piece for manual longitudinal displacement as hereinafter described.

Secondary sear 112 is slidingly mounted in trigger-scar device 106 by means of an opening 122 of rectangular cross-section, which extends longitudinally through thumb piece 110, and an Orice 124 which provides communication between such opening and hole 114. Secondary scar 112 comprises a rectangular portion 126 which is slidingly received by orifice 124 and a.. pair of vertically disposed flanges 128 which extend oppositely from the left end of the rectangular portion. When flanges 128 are in contact with the right side of opening 122, the right end of rectangular portion 126 extends into hole 114V suiciently'to be contacted by the front end of body S8 of ring pin 54 to hold the firing pin in the cock position when trigger-Sear device 106 is in the first position thereof. Secondary sear 112 is displaced with trigger-scar device 106, to free firing pin 54 for forward displacement, when the trigger-Sear device is actuated to the normal position. Secondary sear 112 is positioned rearwardly of lip 116 so that, when trigger-Sear device 106 is released to return to the normal position, iring pin 54 becomes engaged by the lip after being released from the secondary -sear 112. When firing pin 54 is held cocked by primary sear 108, secondary sear 112 is in contact with the extension of body 58, whereby the primary sear must be displaceable relative to the secondary-.Sear to permit actuation of the primary sear for release of the ring pin while the secondary sear is blocked from displacement. This is effected by secondary sear 112 being slidingly disposed in triggersear device 106 and by being biased inwardly to the engaging position by a spring 130 which is retained in opening 122 by 1a pin 132 axially xed at the right end to the secondary scar with the left end being slidinglyreceived by an aperture 134 extending from opening 122 through the left side thereof.

AAs has been mentioned hereinbefore, safety is mounted in breechblock 44 diametrically opposite triggersear device 106 and is disposed for limited longitudinal displacement. between a rearwardl position and a forward position. The inside surface of safety, noted at 135, has sliding contact with right side of primary Sear 108 while a .checkered actuator portion 136 of the safety extends from breechblock 44 for manual displacement. When lsafety 120 is in a safe position between the rearward and forward positions, trigger-scar device 106 is blocked from' displacement to the lire position by the contact thereof with surface 135. A recess 138 is arranged in safety 120 yso as 'to be in registry with the right side of primary sear 108 when the safety is actuated to the forward position and is formed to provide a clearance for the primary sear so that-trigger-sear device 106 is freed for actuation to the fire lposition thereof. A concentrically stepped bore.140 extends longitudinally through safety 120 and slidingly received therein is a plunger 142 which extends forwardly from the bore for contact with a rearwardly facing ledge 144 on breechblock 44. A spring 146 is disposed in bore 140 rearwardly of plunger 142 and is preloadedby a pin 148 which extends laterally through safety 120 to traverse such bore and a longitudinal slot 150 in breechblock 44 with the left end of pin 148 being slidingly received by a longitudinal channel V152 in body 58. Thus, plunger 142 is resiliently held forwardly in safety l120 by spring 146 and when the front end of the plunger is in contact with ledge 144,` the safety is located in the safe position. Forward manual pressure against actuator kportion 146, causing safety 120 to be displaced relative to plunger 142, actuates the safety to the forward position. Release of safety 120 permits the return thereof by springr146 to the safe position. Y Y .Y Y Y ,Y

Channel 152 is terminated at the rear end by a wall 154 which, when firing pin 54 is in the fire position thereof and safety 120 is in the safe position thereof, is adjacent pin 148. Firing pin 54 is retractable to the cock position by rearward displacement of safety 120 and continued rearward displacement thereof retracts firing pin 54 further to actuate catch 48 to the release position, whereby the firing pin may be manually cocked by the safety and a live grenade 18 ejected thereby.

Thus, when a grenade 18 is to be discharged in launcher 16, firing pin 54 is cocked manually by displacing safety 120 rearwardly. Case 26 is then loaded vertically into chamber 45 and pulled back so that baseV 32 is received by uninterrupted portion 47 and catch 48 engaged with groove 34. When launcher 16 is aimed at the target by rifle 12, grenade 18 is dischargeable by application of forward manual pressure against actuator portion 136 of safety 120 for displacement thereof to the forward position followed by inward manual pressure against thumb piece 110 of trigger-scar device 106. Thereby, primary sear 108 is displaced to free lip 116 thereon from firing pin 54 which is freed to be actuated by spring 62 against piston 40.

`The forward displacement of piston 40 initiates primer 36 which causes detonation of propellant 37 to project grenade 18 from case 26 which actsas a barrel therefor. The initiation of primer 36 energizes piston 40 for rearward displacement against firing pin 54 which is actuated thereby for rearward displacement to the overtravel position thereof. When firing pin 54 passes the position where it will be stopped by trigger-Sear device 106 on its return stroke, cam surface 76 on arm 70 engages ramp 74, whereby catch 48 is elevated to disengage hook 52 from groove 34 in case 26. Consequently, case 26 is freed to be ejected from launcher 16 by the forward bias of ejector 78 against base ,32 of the case. l 1 Y Upon sequential forward displacement of firing pin 54 from the overtravel positionthereof, the firing pin is stopped at the cock position by trigger-scar `device 106. If .thumb piece 110 is still pressed inwardly, firing pin 54 will be stopped by the contact of the front end of body 58 with secondary sear 112. Subsequent release of thumb piece 110 will disengage secondary sear 112 from firing pin 54 and position lip 116 of primary sear 108 for reengaging the firing pin. With firing pin 54 in the cock position, ramp 74 is positioned forwardly of arm 70 so thati catch 48 is freedto be biased by the pressure, of spring68 againsttoe66 to lower `hook `52 into position for engaging groove 34 Aof another grenade 1.8 when installed'in launcher 16. l E

From the'foregoing it` ,is clearlyapparent that lbyhfired case 26 being automatically ejected from launcher A16 and firing pin 54 being automatically cocked responsive to the discharge of each grenade 18, the grenades may be projected from the launcher as fast as they can be manually loaded therein, Safety 120 and the operational cooperation of block 94 with ejector 78 and firing pin 54 make launcher 16 virtually fool-proof. Moreover, through the cooperation of launcher v1 6 with case 26 which, provides a barrel for initiating the flight of projectile 30` and the means for energizing the firing andejector mechanisms of the launcher, there is provided a rifle-supported, semiautomatic, grenade launching device which is simple in design, light in weight, small in size, rugged in construction and positive in operation.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

1. In combination, a case for containing a grenade, a propellant charge for projection of said grenade from said case and a primer for discharge of the propellant charge,

a launcher attachable to the barrel of a rifle, said launchern u including a catch pivotally disposed for engagement with said case for releasable retention thereof in said launcher after being loaded therein, a firing pin disposed for longitudinal reciprocation between a forward striking position and a rearward overtravel position, means for driving said firing pin to the striking position, a trigger-Sear device for releasably holding said firing pin in a cock position between the striking and overtravel position, means operationally disposed between said catch and said firing pin for converting longitudinal displacement thereof to pivotal displacement of said catch to release said case as said firing pin is moved to the overtravel position, and means operationally disposed between said firing pin and the primer so as to be actuatable by said firing pin against the primer for initiation thereof and so as to transfer euergy from the initiated primer to said firing pin for actuation thereof to the overtravel position.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 and including an ejector disposed in said launcher for ejecting said case automatically from said launcher when said catch is actuated for release of said case.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1 and including in said launcher a manually actuated safety disposed for releasably blocking actuation of said trigger-Sear device, and means operationally disposed between said safety and said ring pin for actuating said firing pin rearwardly whereby said firing pin is retractable for cocking engagement with said trigger-Sear device and whereby continued rearward movement of said tiring pin actuates said catch to release said grenade from said launcher.

4. The combination as defined in claim 1 and including in said launcher an ejector disposed for sliding actuation to a forward position against said case for ejection thereof when released by said catch, said ejector being disposed so as to project forwardly farther in said launcher than said firing pin, and a block operationally disposed between said ejector and said firing pin so as to be actuated by said firing pin into engagement with said ejector so as to be blocked against rearward movement when said firing pin is in the striking position.

5. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said means operationally disposed between said firing pin and said primer is mounted in said case.

6. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said means operationally disposed between said firing pin and said primer comprises a piston slidingly mounted in a base of said case so as to be actuatable by said firing pin against said primer for initiation thereof and so as to transfer energy from the initiation to said firing pin for actuation thereof to the overtravel position.

7. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said catch is mounted in said launcher for pivotal displacement and is provided with a hook engageable with a groove in said case Vfor retention thereof in said launcher and includes an arm extending into sliding engagement with a longitudinal channel in said firing pin, and wherein said means operationally disposed between said catch and firing pin includes cooperating cam means disposed on said arm and in said channel for converting longitudinal displacement of said ring pin to pivotal displacement of said catch for disengaging said hook from said groove.

8. The combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said case is provided with riing and said grenade is provided with a rotating band pre-engraved to mate with said rifling to impart a rotational .component o-f movement to said grenade when projected from said case. y y

9. The combination as dened in claim 1 wherein said launcher is cylindrical in configuration and includes f a breechblock extending rearwardly from a diametrical wall and a receiver extending forwardly thereof, said receiver being provided with a cylindrical chamber having a diam- No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BJOlCI-IELT, Przmry Examiner: R. V. LOTTMANN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A CASE TO CONTAINING A GRENADE, A PROPELLANT CHARGE FOR PROJECTION OF SAID GRENADE FROM SAID CASE AND A PRIMER FOR DISCHARGE OF THE PROPELLANT CHARGE, A LAUNCHER ATTACHABLE TO THE BARREL OF RIFLE, SAID LAUNCHER INCLUDING A CATCH PIVOTALLY DISPOSED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CASE FOR RELEASABLE RETENTION THEREOF IN SAID LAUNCHER AFTER BEING LOADED THEREIN, A FIRING PIN DISPOSED FOR LONGITUDINAL RECIPROCATION BETWEEN A FORWARD STRIKING POSITION AND REARWARD OVERTRAVEL POSITIONS, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID FIRING PIN TO THE STRIKING POSITION, A TRIGGER-SEAR DEVICE FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID FIRING PIN IN A COCK POSITION BETWEEN THE STRIKING AND OVERTRAVEL POSITION, MEANS OPERATIONALLY DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID CATCH AND SAID FIRING PIN FOR CONVERTING LONGITUDINAL DISPLACEMENT THEREOF TO PIVOTAL DISPLACEMENT OF SAID CATCH TO RELEASE SAID CASE AS SAID FIRING PIN IS MOVED TO THE OVERTRAVEL POSITION, AND MEANS OPERATIONALLY DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FIRING PIN AND THE PRIMER SO AS TO BE ACTUATABLE BY SAID FIRING PIN AGAINST THE PRIMER FOR INITIATION THEREOF AND SO AS TO TRANSFER ENERGY FROM THE INITIATED PRIMER TO SAID FIRING PIN FOR ACUTATION THEREOF TO THE OVERTRAVEL POSITION. 